The Dark Lord
by padme's sister
Summary: I don't own any of this, George Lucas and the BBC do. It is a sort of Star Wars version of 'Parting of the Ways' the last Doctor Who episode. Rated T just incase. Story better than Summary, I promise! Please READ and REVIEW.
1. Trapped

Anakin and Obi-Wan stood at the end of the long line of Jedi, watching as the sea of clones marched towards them down the long stairs of the temple. Anakin knew deep down that he was never going to return from this battle. He would never see his beloved Padme again. Never hear her melodious voice, or smell her sweet scent. Never see the beautiful woman whom he had grown to love so much that whenever he was away from her, he would feel physically sick.

He knew that there was no way a hundred Jedi could fight this army of at least a hundred thousand clones and survive to live the tale. They were impossibly outnumbered.

So in the few moments that he had left, he closed his eyes and thought back to when he was younger.

He was only nine years old when he had met Padme. He had given her the japor snippet that he had carved himself. Since then, not a day had gone by when he hadn't thought of her, even in those ten long years when they had been apart.

And then he allowed his mind to travel on a little, to their first meeting again when he was a padawan learner and she was a Senator. She had grown into such a beatuiful woman. Full of courage and integrity, innocence and alure, wisdom, yet immaturity, and with a great deal of mishievousness. He loved her, more than life itself. She was his angel, his darling sweetheart, his Padme, and he wondered what she would do without him.

And then as the distant rumble of clones grew steadily nearer, Anakin was reminded of Padme's last words to him.

"I love you."

"I love you too" he mumbled to himself, as he felt a wave of sadness spread over him.

"What?" A voice said from his side, interupting his thoughts. Anakin's eyes snapped open and he turned to see Obi-Wan staring at him curiously.

"Nothing Master." Anakin sighed.

"Please Anakin. Call me Obi-Wan."

"Sorry Mas...Obi-Wan." Anakin corrected himself and Obi-Wan smiled.

"Goodbye Anakin. May the Force be with you." he said, holding out his hand. Anakin took it and the two friends shook. Then they pulled each other into a hug, knowing this may be the last time they ever saw each other.

"May the Force be with you too." Anakin mumbled as they stood up straight again.

And then the rumble of clones stopped and Anakin looked up. The clones had stopped in a long formation, at least a thoushand wide and a hundred deep. The Jedi reformed their dead straight line and, as one, removed their cloakes, allowing them to drop to the floor.

And then they all took out their lightsabers and ignited them together, causing the dark sky to suddenly be lit with colour.

The clones followed a similar procedure, pulling on their helmets and aiming their guns, ready for the final showdown.


	2. The Battle Begins

An evil laugh pierced the air as the Emperor appeared at the top of the stairs. The clone army split in two, forming a pathway down the middle, which the Emperor proceded to walk down, very slowly and very deliberately. Anakin couldn't bare the wait any longer and wanted to just charge in and get it over with, but Obi-Wan held him back. He had sensed Anakin's growing unease and knew that Anakin could possibly be the only Jedi on this platform who had something to live for and everything to lose.

Sure, the other Jedi had their training, their mentoring, their Jedi life, but Anakin had more. He had a wife, two beautiful kids, a home...and he was happy, he was the happiest Obi-Wan had ever seen, or felt him.

"I can't do it Obi-Wan." Anakin sobbed and tears had started to run down his face. "I can't leave her with this monster still alive."

"Then we take him together. Remove him, and the whole army will fall apart." Obi-Wan whispered back, placing a hand on Anakin's strong shoulder, which was shuddering violently as he fought back even more tears.

"I know you love her Anakin, but remember what she said to you before you left?" Anakin shook his head. The only words he could ever remember Padme saying at that moment were "I love you."

"She said that courage is not the absence of fear..."

"But the determination to continue on regardless of that fear." Anakin finished and smiled again as he remembered, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Yes Anakin. Don't you see, she wasn't just re-telling some wise old quote. She was telling you exactly how she was feeling at that moment too."

"What do you mean Mas...Obi-Wan." Anakin asked, looking up.

"She's as frightened as you Anakin, but she knew that she had to be strong for your sake, so now you have to be strong for hers."

Anakin thought about this for a moment then nodded in agreement, looking back to his blue blade that he held infront of him. It hummed quietly, and surged with power. _With this weapon_ Anakin thought _I could destroy the one last threat to Padme and save her forever._

As the Jedi slowly began to move forwards, the clones opened fire and the ranks were broken.

Battle had begun.

"Let's do it!" Anakin called to Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan grinned.

"It'll be just like old times!" he shouted back as they charged forwards together, into the clones, scattering them like skittles.


	3. Impossibly outnumbered

Working back to back, Anakin and Obi-Wan turned away every shot that came towards them with impossible moves that Anakin never knew he could do. He allowed the force to guide his every move, trusting it with his life. He was amazed even further when it seemed like they were actually getting somewhere at last, slowly reducing the army, and leaving a small trail of destructiong where they had been moment's before..

Anakin dared to glance back behind him to see the landing platform littered with bodies. But he was glad to see that most of these were Clones. Only a few Jedi had fallen so far.

But then he heard a shriek and saw a red saber flashing in the air, swinging down and taking out the Jedi, one by one. As the Jedi began to back away again, the Clones stopped firing and stood back to attention.

Anakin knew that this was a perfect chance to strike down a few more and reduce them still further, but he had no energy left. Obi-Wan managed to stumble over and the two friends leant on each other for support, breathing heavily and trying to catch their breath.

And then they saw why the Clones had stopped.

The Emperor stood above Mace Windu's body with one hand in the air. Mace trembled underneath him, cradling his two hands. Only, where the hands should have been, there was nothing remaining but two singed stumps. Mace's lightsaber lay off to one side with one hand still grasping it firmly.

Anakin couldn't bear to watch as the red blade was raised high, then plunged down again. Mace screamed out once, and then everything went silent.

Anakin felt his lose through the force, and he weakened still futher. As he forced himself to stay upright, he noticed that he and Obi-Wan were the only two Jedi remaining. Yoda had been thrown across the platform, and was now nursing his stump where once a tiny leg had been, and every other Jedi was dead or mortally wounded and left to die painfully.

"Courage Anakin." Obi-Wan whispered and Anakin knew what Obi-Wan was planning to do next. Pulling himself up and forcing himself to concentrate, Anakin twirled his saber round a few times to allow himself to get a better grip, and then he nodded to Obi-Wan to show that he was ready.

"Now!" Obi-Wan yelled and the two charged forwards, Anakin taking a huge leap over the Emperor to land on his other side.

The two Jedi fought furiously, working in perfect harmony and causing the Emperor to lose his footing several times. At last, Anakin felt like they were winning, forcing the Emperor back and back until he came to the edge of the platform and peered down over the edge to the never ending abyse below.

But then the Emperor laughed cruelly and raised one hand infront of him. Blue lightning forked from his fingers and wound their way round Anakin, burning him and draining all his remaining energy. He felt himself being lifted up and thrown across the platform, landing in a crumpled heap by a stone pillar.

Obi-Wan knew he couldn't possible take on the Emperor alone, but he fought on bravely, determined to at least do some damage before his time was up.

However he soon tired and the Emperor took advantage. Swinging his saber down low, he aimed for Obi-Wan's leg. Down went Obi-Wan's saber to block, but then, to his horror he saw the Emperor draw back and swing high, severing his left arm just above the elbow. And then he swung back down again and this time did go for the feet, severing both Obi-Wan's legs off just below the knee.

Obi-Wan fell to the floor, crying in agony and the Emperor laughed maliciously, raising his red blade, like he had with Mace Windu.

"No!" Anakin screamed, but he couldn't move. He was helpless.


	4. An unexpected arrival

And then an alarm sounded from somewhere and the Emperor paused, mid-swing. Anakin heard an engine and looking up, saw a sleek silver ship descending towards the platform. He knew who's ship it was, and he knew why they were here.

"Padme." he whispered and tears pricked his eyes again. She would be killed for sure. As soon as she stepped out of the door, the Emperor would cut her down.

And sure enough, the Emperor left Obi-Wan and walked towards the ship, pausing at the bottom of the ramp, waiting.

And then he was thrown backwards as a blinding yellow light burst out from inside. Anakin had to shield his eyes from the glare, and looking behind him, saw the Clones having to shield their eyes aswell, despite the fact that they wore helmets designed to withstand bright lights.

A single figure walked down the ramp, cloaked and hooded. They were too small to be any man, and too big to be some alien species. Anakin knew it was Padme, but why was she wearing a cloak? Why was she even wearing a hood?

He began to drag himself along the floor towards her, and as he got nearer, she turned to him, smiling. However when she eventually lowered her hood, Anakin knew immediately that something was different. There was a huge jolt in the Force and a seering pain ran through his head.

When Padme looked at him again, he saw that her eyes glowed the same yellow as her ship's inside had. Where there had once been the beautiful brown eyes that he had gazed lovingly into so many times, now there was just an evil looking yellow. And there was a yellow glow around the eyes, highlighting them with horrific clarity.

"What have you done?" he yelled in disbelief as she stepped off the end of the ramp.

"I looked into the Force...and the Force looked into me." she said and her voice was pure and calm, yet sort of...mechanical, Anakin supposed, like she were in a trance.

"You looked into the force-cube didn't you? Padme no-one's supposed to see in there!" he exclaimed in shock and horror, but Padme smiled.

"Trust me Ani." she said and for a moment the light dimmed and her soft brown eyes were visible for a moment, but only a moment before she turned back to the Emperor.

He had composed himself now, getting back to his feet and snarling maliciously at the Senator.

"You have interfered with our affairs for the last time Senator." he said angrily, curling his fingers like he was grasping a ball. And sure enough, a ball of blue energy appeared. He drew the hand back to his chest, then thrust it forwards, sending the blue lightning towards Padme. Anakin expected to hear her screams as she was slowly fried by the energy, but nothing ever came. And then he realised he had his eyes tight shut. Daring to open them, he saw the Emperor's hand extended with blue lightning shooting out of his fingertips. Anakin followed the blue lighting until it met up with the yellow lightning that...no, it was impossible...it couldn't be...the yellow lightning was issuing from Padme's fingertips and she stood with her arm out aswell, blocking the Emperor's energy with her own. Slowly the blue energy retreated and the yellow energy advance, forcing the Emperor to step back. And then he stopped and the yellow lightning knocked him off his feet again.


	5. The Dark Lord

As Padme lowered her hand, causing the yellow light to die off, everything fell silent and dark. Not a soul moved as they all watched the two, entranced by the strange turn of events. Padme stood tall and strong in the centre of the platform whilst the Emperor cowered away, running up the steps of the Temple. The Clone army closed together again once he had passed, sealing the pathway, but they didn't open fire on the young Senator who stood before them. After all, they had been given orders not to harm ANY Senators.

The Emperor watched Padme down below him as she began to move towards the army of Clones. They didn't move at first, but with a deft flick of her wrist, they parted as one, creating the path for her to slowly and deliberately walk up. Anakin and Obi-Wan pulled themselves round so that they could watch what was going on up above. Yoda managed to pull himself up by his stick and hopped over to the two fallen Jedi who had somehow managed to drag themselves together.

"This is impossible!" They heard the Emperor cry as Padme reached the top step. "Only the Dark Lord has this kind of power!"

"I am the Dark Lord. I create myself."

"Padme. Stop, you must! Stop, you must now! The entire Force running through your head, burn you it will. Kill you!" Yoda called up, but Padme just shook her head.

"I want you safe...My Masters. Protected from this false God." And with another deft flick of her wrist she sent the Emperor tumbling back down the stone steps. The Clones were confused now. They didn't know who to obey.

At Commander Cody's command, they all stepped back to the edges of the platform, creating a clear space where they had once stood. The Emperor landed in that space, winded and struggling for breath. Padme took a gigantic leap, backflipped off the top step and landed at his feet. Then she turned to Anakin and the other two.

"I cannot let the Jedi become extinct. You are my Masters. You are my very existence."

"What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan said at last, pushing himself up into a sort of sitting position with his remaining arm. Anakin pondered over what she had just said. Why was she calling them her Masters? They didn't control her, they didn't teach her. How could she understand the ways of the Jedi?

"You cannot defeat me. I am the Emperor. I am all powerful." the Emperor bellowed, standing up to face Padme as she glared at him with her evil yellow eyes.

"You are tiny." she hissed back angrily. "I can see the whole of time and space. Every single atom of your existence...and I divide them." she said, pointing her hand at his chest. A huge gaping hole appeared, spilling blue light from withing. The Emperor shrieked as the hole slowly grew, engulfing his body.

"Everything must come to dust." she continued and the hole spread faster. "All things. Everything dies." her eyes were now glowing incredibly bright, the glow illuminating her whole face, with her soft features and fair skin.

"The Clone War ends!" she said in a loud clear voice that rang out across the platform.

"I will not die! I cannot die!" the Emperor screamed as he was finally engulfed in blue light, then disintegrated into a pile of dust at Padme's feet.

"Padme, you've done it. Now stop, just let go." Anakin pleaded, dragging himself towards her, but she turned to him shaking her head.

"How can I let go of this? I bring life back to the ones I serve." she raised her right hand and yellow bolts escaped her fingertips again, dancing across the Jedi. Each body it touched began to murmer and shift, as though the Jedi were waking from a deep sleep. Anakin couldn't believe his eyes as Mace Windu rose again, looking thouroughly confused as he surveyed his hands, which had re-grown from the stumps.

Anakin felt something warm on his chest, and looking down saw a bolt dance off him. Then his right arm felt warm, below the elbow where his mechanical hand was.

"It can't be..." he whispered, pulling the glove off and surveying his arm, which was once again flesh and blood, like it used to be. Anakin, and indeed the other Jedi were speechless as all around them, the fallen Jedi rose again, and each one inspected their new limbs.

Then Anakin saw a hand being held out infront of him. Looking up, he saw Obi-Wan standing over him, his arm and legs regrown like Anakin's. Anakin allowed Obi-Wan to pull him up, and as he stood there, watching the other Jedi get to their feet aswell, he suddenly felt all his energy and strength return to him.

He ran over to Padme, skidding to a stop infront of her.

"This is wrong. You can't control life and death." he stuttered in amazement as Padme grinned at him.

"But I can. I am the Dark Lord. I control the Galaxy." she whipsered, reaching out and gently touching his arm.

"But you're not the Dark Lord. You're Senator Amidala...Padme...My wife." Anakin responded.

"Why does it hurt so much?" she asked him and tears rolled down his face.

"The power's killing you...and it's all my fault." he sobbed and Padme took his hands into her own.

"I can see everything Ani. All that is...all that was...all that could ever be..."

"That's what Jedi see...what I see...all the time." Anakin was struggling to digest everything he had heard, seen and learned over the past hour. How could Padme understand what Jedi see? How could she even begin to understand the Force, let alone use it to defeat the most powerful man in the universe. How could she withstand the power of the entire Force running through her head.

And then he realised. The Force had given her these powers, but it was killing her slowly. The only way to save her, was to remove the Force. Send it back to where it rightfully belonged...inside the Force-cube.

"Come here." he said, pulling her close. She didn't object, allowing herself to fall into his arms.

He kissed her, deeply, allowing that one kiss to show every ounce of love he felt towards her. He could feel the Force, slowly transfering itself from her body to his, could feel her slowly growing weaker as this power was taken from her.


	6. The End of the Clone Wars

When he was convinced that he had gained all her power, he gently laid her unconscious body on the floor, kissing her head softly. Then he stood up and walked towards her ship.

A small cube, no more than an inch big, was floating through the air towards him, over the tops of the silent Jedi audience.

He reached out and called the cube to his hands with the Force. Then he caught it in one hand and immediately felt the transfer again as the energy was sucked from his body. He could feel the world growing darker around him as the last drop of energy was trapped back inside the cube. Anakin fell to the floor, drained and exhausted, allowing his heavy eyelids to shut out the rest of the world.

Yoda hobbled forwards on his new leg and scooped the cube up with his sleeve, wrapping it tightly in cloth before tucking it in his belt. The Clones stepped forwards at last and dropped their guns in a pile.

Commander Cody knelt infront of Yoda with his head bowed.

"Forgive us Master Yoda. We were confused."

"All is forgotten Commander. Now, help us you can. Clean up this mess, we must and away from this planet go. Back to Coruscant and the temple of the Jedi."

"Yes Master." Commander Cody nodded before standing back up and ordering his troops to start the clean-up. Obi-Wan gently scooped Padme into his arms whilst Mace Windu and another clone dragged Anakin's limp form up, throwing his arms over their shoulders.

The two heroes were taken back to Padme's ship, and once Yoda, Commander Cody and two other clones had also jumped on board, were taken back to the medical centre on Coruscant.

In no time at all, the Platform was cleared as the clones and Jedi boarded their own ships and took off, leaving the temple and the battle scarred platform far behind. All that remained of the Emperor was a pile of smouldering ash that was slowly taken away and scattered by the strong gust of wind that had descended upon the hell hole.


	7. The Hospital

Anakin woke up, early the next morning to find himself in a large white room. He knew he was in a hospital room because of the bright white walls and the clinical smell. What he didn't know was why he was there. And then, slowly, as he sat up, it all flooded back to him. Padme had been with him. She had saved the day, destroyed the Empire, brought back the dead Jedi...Padme. Where was she now?

Anakin pulled himself out of bed, rubbing hie eyes an stretching. His muscles ached from all the fighting. Then he realised that he was topless. He looked down to see that he was still wearing his Jedi pants, but his feet were bootless too. Looking around, he saw his clothes in the corner and pulled them on, tugging at the material until it fell in all the right places. He took up his black glove and went to put it on his hand to hide the black metal arm...but it was no longer there. He had his own arm back again. Smiling happily he threw the glove into the bin by the door, then pressed the button and listened to the swoosh as it slid open.

He was greated with more white walls and a long coridoor that seemed to stretch forever. A medical droid was winding it's way down the hall towards him, so he stopped it.

"Excuse me? Where can I find Padme Amidala?"

"Follow me Master Jedi. I was on my way to her room anyway."

Anakin followed the droid down the coridoor to a room right at the end. Obi-Wan, Mace and Yoda were all standing outside, watching through a window. They turned as he approached and Obi-Wan smiled.

"The Chosen One awakens." he said as he reached out and hugged Anakin.

"How is she?" Anakin asked after he let go of his friend and peered through the window.

"She's doing fine. They're just about to wake her up." Mace reported and Anakin nodded, pressing close to the window and watching as the droids scurried around, adjusting monitors and various other bits of equipment. Then one of them came to the door.

"Master Skywalker, would you like to come in?"

Anakin nodded, following the droid in. A chair was pulled up by Padme's bedside and Anakin sat in it, taking her hand into his own and stroking her fair skin gently. She was lying perfectly still, dressed in a pure white silken robe. If it wasn't for the fact that her chest slowly rose and fell with every breathe, Anakin might have thought she was dead.

"Talk to her." the droid said, before ushering all the other droids out of the room, leaving the two alone.

"Padme...Padme..." he called her name softly and although at first she didn't respond, he continued to call soflty until at last her eyelids flickered open and she turned to him in confusion.

"Where am I? What happened?" she asked, groaning as she adjusted to the bright light. Anakin helped her to sit up, fluffing the pillows up behind her to make her more comfortable, then he place one hand on her arm gently.

"Your in a medical centre. I don't know which one, because I've only just come round myself..."

"What happened?" she asked again.

"Don't you remember?" Anakin was a little surprised that she couldn't remember anything. Mind you he couldn't remember anything after the point where they had been kissing. _I guess the Force really messes up your brain._ He thought to himself, but he didn't tell Padme.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be alright now. I promise." and this time, he knew he could safely say this and not have to worry about anything going wrong. After all, what could go wrong now. The Empire had been destroyed, the clones were now with the Jedi, rather than against them, and the Senate had at last accepted that the Jedi were not the traitors, the Chancellor was.


	8. The Force? Or Padme?

Just then the door opened and the three Jedi spectators from outside, quietly stepped in aswell.

"We don't mean to interupt..." Obi-Wan started, but Anakin held up his hand to stop his friend.

"You're not. Come on in."

The three Jedi also pulled up chairs and sat around the bed. After Obi-Wan had re-told the story of what happened to Padme, Anakin decided that now was the time for answers.

"Masters? Was it Padme who was talking on the platform, or was it the force using her?"

Padme shifted slightly, not entirely comfortable with the fact that she could have been used by something she didn't even understand.

"What do you think Padme?" Yoda asked and her eyes widened in shock.

"Me?"

"Yes. Had the power, you did. Was it you, or was it the force?" Yoda asked kindly but Padme sighed.

"I honestly can't remember Master Yoda."

"Give it time. Ready to face it yet, you are not. But soon you will."

"And what if I don't want to?" she asked, slightly alarmed by the fact that she might suddenly one day remember something truly awful.

"No choice, you have. I'm sorry."

"I think it was Padme who was doing it." Anakin stated, trying to shift the focus from Padme to him. Padme smiled at him gratefully as the other Jedi turned away from her and let her relax.

"Why do you say that?" Mace asked curiously.

"Well...on the platform, she called me Ani. Only two people have ever called me that, my mother and Padme. If it was the force, why would it call me Ani, and not Master, like it called you?"

"The boy has a point." Mace turned to Yoda.

"Hmmm. But what of the powers? Explain them, can you?"

Anakin thought for a moment, then he nodded.

"If she truly is the Dark Lord, what if she had the powers all along, but just never knew she had them, or didn't know how to use them. The entire Force running through her head could have...unlocked that power and let her use it."

"It's possible." Mace and Obi-Wan nodded. There was a long silence as the four Jedi pondered about events on the platform. Padme didn't want to interupt, but knew that if anything was going to be done, she had to.

"Excuse me? Master Jedi. I don't mean to interupt but what do we do now? What about the Senate?"

After all, a new Supreme Chancellor was needed, seeing as she had apparently disintegrated the last one. Obi-Wan turned to her, grinning madly. She pulled a face that showed that she thought he had gone barmy, but this just made him grin even more.

"Padme...every Senator in the Senate has chosen you to be the new Supreme Chancellor. They recognize that you can lead them to a far brighter and safer future than any other senator in the Galaxy." Mace revelealed at last, after it was clear that Obi-Wan wouldn't. For the first time in her life Padme was speachless. Her mouth opened and closed like she was saying something, but no words would come out.

At last she swallowed and tried again.

"Of...of course I'll be the new Supreme Chancellor, but...but I need your help." she said.

"Make a statement in the senate, you should. Explain to them about your wishes and new rules." Yoda suggested and Padme nodded, knowing it was the only way.

"I want the Jedi and the Republic to work together in peace. The Jedi are welcome to join in with the new Senate where your voice shall at last be heard." she said, returning to her diplomatic self. For the next few moments, she wasn't Padme Amidala, or even Senator Amidala any more, but for those few moments she was Supreme Chancellor Amidala.

"Thankyou Milady." the Jedi said, bowing. Even Anakin did, knowing that Padme was doing the right thing.

"If the Senate had allowed the Jedi to be heard in the first place, this war may never have happened." she sighed and they all nodded in agreement.

A wise quote suddenly flashed into Anakin's head and he smiled at the thought. Then he saw the others looking at him and decided that he'd better share it with them aswell.

"I've just remembered an old quote I once heard someone say...'Our greatest glory is not to never fall..."he recited "...but to rise up again when we do.' That's what we're doing now. Rising up again after a long fall, like a phoenix. And I have a feeling this new era will be better than ever before."

"Here here!" the others said in unison.


	9. Epilogue

At last peace has been restored to the Galaxy. Chancellor Amidala has gained complete respect of everyone in the senate, and thanks to her diplomatic solutions, many wars have been prevented.

The Jedi are now a major part of the senate aswell, expressing their views and opinions. Anakin Skywalker has at last become a Jedi Master, and is also Padme's loyal bodyguard, standing by her side everytime there is a meeting in the senate.

After the arrest of Mas Amedda, Palpatine's majordomo, Padme has employed a wookie called Chewbaaca, one of the only few remaining on Kashyyk. His voice echoes through the hall perfectly and silences even the loudest protests.

Obi-Wan and Mace have taken the two Skywalker children as their apprentices, but it is clear that Leia doesn't want to be a Jedi. She continues the training never-the-less, under the guidance of Mace Windu, but as soon as she is old enough, she has agreed with the Jedi Council, and with her parents, that she will become the new Jedi Senator, representing them in the Senate.

When they aren't busy on Coruscant, Anakin and Padme spend their time at the lakeside retreat in Naboo, enjoying the sun, the peace and the tranquility.

Nothing, it seems can spoil such a perfect time...

But something this good, can't last forever!


End file.
